Major Gun and Drug Bust Caps Record Year for Police

A major bust in Belize City is capping off what’s been a record-breaking year for law enforcement. On Tuesday, officers uncovered an AR-15 rifle, over a hundred rounds of ammo, and other illegal items stashed in a mangrove area off Nutmeg Street in Lake Independence. This discovery adds to a year of big seizures, more than seven thousand rounds of ammunition and a staggering seven hundred thousand grams of cannabis taken off the streets in 2025. Assistant Superintendent of Police Stacy Smith breaks down the operation that led to this latest arrest.

 

ASP Stacy Smith, Staff Officer

“On Tuesday, thirtieth December 2025, at around three p.m. an intelligence led operation carried out by police of the special branch and officers of Precinct two Eastern Division resulted in the discovery of an AR 15 rifle, one hundred and five five-point-five-six rounds of ammunition, two drum magazines, seven point forty-five rounds of ammunition and two bulletproof vests. These items were found after a search in a mangrove area of Nutmeg Street in the Lake Independence area of Belize City. These items were seized and labeled as from property. The recovery of this item places the total amount of firearms that were seized by the police department for 2025 at two hundred and thirty-four, and the amount of ammunition at seven thousand four hundred and seventy-seven. Seven. Additionally, a total of one hundred and ninety-four persons were arrested and charged during the spirit and the review for offenses related to firearm am and ammunition. Nine-millimeter pistols accounted for one hundred and twenty three of doses, firearms, and fourteen were high power rifles with the remaining being different calibers, such as point thirty-eight or shotguns. As it relates to drugs, seven hundred and five thousand, six hundred and thirty-eight grams of cannabis were seized, forty-one thousand, seven hundred and eighty-four grams of cocaine, over five thousand grams of crack cocaine. We’re all seized for the period under review and a total of one thousand five hundred and sixty-two persons were charged for drug related offenses.”